1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for conveying tubular members such as pipes having a circular cross-section and made of zirconium, a zirconium alloy, stainless steel or the like in pickling facilities for the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well-known, a product made of zirconium, a zirconium alloy, stainless steel or the like, for example, a zircaloy tube as a cladding tube for nuclear fuel or the like has to be mirror-finished by pickling both inner and outer surfaces thereof with an acidic solution such as nitric acid and/or fluoric acid after polishing only the outer surface thereof to a roughness factor of about 6S or so subsequent to its final annealing step.
In such pickling facilities, it is necessary to degrease the tubular members and wash them with water of a high temperature prior to subjecting them to a pickling treatment. Furthermore, subsequent to the pickling treatment, it is also necessary to treat the thus-pickled tubular members in a tank containing an alkaline solution as well as in a tank containing purified water. Therefore, it is indispensable to convey tubular members to each treatment liquid tank and load the same in the tank to dip the tubular members therein. Here it is very important to carry out the conveyance in a predetermined sequence from one tank to another as well as to perform the loading and unloading in each tight treatment liquid tank while avoiding any damage to the surfaces of the tubular members.